


To the flowers that bloom after the rain

by tenmillionotters



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Established Relationship, Family, Fluff, M/M, Post-Apocalypse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-12
Updated: 2018-02-12
Packaged: 2019-03-17 12:56:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13659435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tenmillionotters/pseuds/tenmillionotters
Summary: On her 20th birthday it is time for Hana to return to the place of her birth.





	To the flowers that bloom after the rain

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Beneath a grey sky](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13432419) by [tenmillionotters](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tenmillionotters/pseuds/tenmillionotters). 



> Happy Birthday Lari! 
> 
> I know you wanted to know what happened to Hana and I think it’s only appropriate that you’ll get your answers on your own 20th birthday. 
> 
> Thank you for being my best friend, my guiding light, my biggest supporter and the love of my life for over 3 years now.
> 
> I hope that this story can make you happy, remember that all the hardships in life will lead you the place you always belonged. 
> 
> Happy birthday, I love you so much

If she would have gone by car she would have arrived there in less than two hours, but she didn’t want this journey to be comfortable. All her life she had been sheltered, she was loved, to an extent that others had never known. Her feet hurt, the sound of branches breaking below her feet made her nervous. She left the house at 5 AM. The quiet house, the mansion that used to be filled with laughter and life. 

… but now everything was quiet, with the two graves in the backyard. The hatchlings had left the nest a long while ago, she was the last one to stay, to nurse the ones left behind to leave once the silence came. 

Hana grabbed the strap of her bag a little harder as she tried to walk faster, she didn’t know what she should expect. It wasn’t like everything would magically work out just right, she wouldn’t be welcomed with open arms, in worst case she would have to leave right away but on her 20th birthday it was finally time to return to the place she came from. 

Everyone knew about the doctor that lived in a sea of green, the lonely man that created life to drown out the silence. 

She only knew his name, she had never seen him before, she knew his story but she didn’t know him. She only knew what her late aunt could tell her and that was what terrified her. Did he know…? Did he know why they were separated so quickly? 

There was no way he knew that aunt Itori had told them about her. He never knew of the regret she had felt for taking Hana away from them, but they also never knew of the chances it had given her. 

Her feet hurt and so did her eyes as she started sniffling and sobbing, this wasn’t right, she had no right to disturb the peace they had created for themselves in their shelter in a sea of green. But she was longing to find home in a place she had never seen before. 

The longer she walked the less she felt the pain in her feet, she jumped over rivers and streams, inhaled the air that had a sweet scent, not as salty as the winds at the town by the sea. 

She heard laughter and stopped in her tracks, only now she noticed the small house that shone like a white rock in the endless waves of flowers and grass. 

“It’s not going to work like that Souta - Souta give it back -” 

They were laughing, chasing after each other. She felt her chest tighten, she was an intruder, she was like a sore infection on the face of earth. Still there was no way back now, she could only move forward even if that meant she would destroy the things she never had. 

The soft barking of their dog drew their attention towards the girl that slowly approached them, “Kishou come here.” They stopped in their tracks and looked at the girl. 

Kishou…? She had heard that name before, but in a different context than this, “H-Hello…” 

“Hello, do you need something?”, the man she had only heard of in the other’s hear-say greeted her cheerfully, while the person she had been looking for was quiet. He only stared at her. 

“... I came here to talk… to…”, her fingers dug deep into the fabric of her dress, she was too nervous to even look at him. 

“Me?”, it was an odd feeling, all this time he hadn’t know if she was still alive, but the moment he saw her he knew who she was, “Your feet must hurt, come inside.” 

Hana was hesitant, she watched them walk inside the small house before her, followed by a group of cats that side eyed the intruder. She took her shoes off and exhaled sharply as she noticed the blisters and wounds, blood seeped through her white socks and she felt bad about walking over to the seat they offered her. 

Her steps here light and calculated, her feet hurt even more without her shoes on, she quietly sat down on the sofa, her chest was so tight she couldn’t make a sound. 

“Take your socks off, I’ll take care of your wounds.” 

There was no room to discuss as the doctor already vanished in the bathroom while his husband brought a kettle to the boil, his smile was just as untainted and bright as it was when she came here. Something about him was familiar but at the same he was a total stranger to her, just like the doctor. 

“Did you walk all the way here from the town nearby the harbour?”, his voice filled the whole room with a warm comfort she hadn’t know before, “It’s such a long way, even for a young woman like you.” 

“There are enough people you could have asked to drive you here,” the doctor seemed to be a little angry, but all the anger was rooted in concern. He carefully placed a basin in front of her feet, “The camomile needs to soak in the water a little longer but you can already put your feet in, Hana.” 

“You…”, her eyes widened in surprise and she looked at the man in mild disbelief. 

“Of course I know who you are,” he sighed and patted her head, “After all I was the person who brought you into this world.” 

Hana could only nod weakly as she began to cry again, one of the cats jumped on her lap and meowed at her, as if she was telling her to stop crying, “Sorry…” The young woman started laughing as the cat rubbed its little head against her hand. 

“It doesn’t happen every day that a young woman shows up here just to talk to me… especially not one that’s the spitting image of my friends,” Itsuki sighed and looked around, “We have enough room for you to stay here for a few days. I am sure there are a lot of things you want to discuss with me, but first of all you need to get some rest.” 

“We have plenty of time,” Souta waltzed over to the small group and placed a cup on the small desk in front of Hana, “Are you hungry? I’m sure you’re hungry.” He gently pressed Itsuki in his armchair and smiled, “You need to spend time with your niece now.” A small peck stole all the protest from Itsuki’s lips as he sunk into the chair much to his own displeasure. 

The fluffy dog they named after her uncle jumped on the doctor’s lap and barked happily. 

“That’s Hana, Kishou, you have to be nice to her,” he gently patted his dog before he turned to his niece. There was nothing he could say, there was nothing he wanted to say. He just looked at her, it felt like seeing Ui and Ihei and again. Her eyes were just as sleepy and light as Ihei’s, she had Ui’s mushroom head and his smile. The way she spoke was similar to the way her mother articulated and her voice sounded just the same. 

Hana was too busy playing with the cat on her lap to notice, but when she looked up she could have sworn that there was something sad in her uncle’s eyes. Should she apologise…? She lifted the cat up and buried her face in it’s soft fur as she mumbled how sorry she was. 

“Why are you sorry?”

“... for just coming here all of the sudden…”, there were many ways in which she could have told them of her plans, but she was scared to be met with rejection, “I was scared that you wouldn’t want me here, if I told you beforehand…” 

“You know this place has always been open to everyone… I spent many years waiting for everyone to come back home,” they were still in the same room, but still he was so distant in this moment, “First Koori and Chika returned… 11 years later there was Souta.” 

There was something warm in his eyes as he gazed at the other man, Hana felt even more like an intruder in this moment, but she also couldn’t help but wonder if her father looked at her mother the same way. 

“But did you ever expect me to come … back?”

“When I’m honest I was scared that they brought you somewhere far away from here, they would raise you as someone else… someone who doesn’t know where she comes from,” his expression was solemn as he turned to her again, “Would you have been happier living like that?” 

She stared at the cup that was sitting in front of her untouched, she heard the soft humming coming from the kitchen, the clock ticking and her heart race, “No… I don’t think so. I would have always looked for something that would feel like home.” 

“But how can you be sure that this will feel like home?” 

“Itsuki stop being so mean,” Souta gently pinched his cheek and smiled at Hana, “Don’t mind him, he’s just getting old.” 

Even though it was easier to laugh now she felt like there was an even heavier burden on her heart, she knew that he didn’t want to offend her, he was merely being honest. Maybe she would never fully feel at home, no matter where she’d go, because all the hopes and expectations she had were buried six feet deep in wet soil. 

“Dinner’s ready, I think it’s time to lighten up a bit, hm?”

Maybe he was right, once she stood up she realised that her feet were still soaking in camomile solution. 

“You’ll need bandages on your feet or you’ll get an infection,” Itsuki stood up and prepared his instruments, he carefully dried her feet and took care of her wounds, “Your mother was just like that too, every time she walked too much her feet began to bleed. I was convinced she’s actually a mermaid.” 

“... was she pretty?”, maybe it was an odd question to ask, but she had to know. 

“She was gorgeous,” he laughed and fastened the bandages, “Just as gorgeous as she was ditzy. I can show you a picture of your parents when your feet are healed off. Now come, before the dinner gets cold.” 

Hana went ahead and took the seat that felt right, she didn’t want to take anyone else’s spot. It felt odd to eat dinner with other people again. First she ate with a large group, then with two other people, in the end she was alone. 

“Don’t look so sad, I swear I can cook,” Souta laughed again, it felt as if he always laughed, but he was probably just trying to keep the mood afloat, making her feel even worse. 

“Thank you…”, a small smile formed on her face, she didn’t even dare to look at them once Itsuki sat down at the table. 

“Do you like to read?”, it was an odd question, so out of the blue, but she was happy that Itsuki showed interest in her. 

“I do… we were… a lot of children and the General collected manga for us…”, she laughed thinking about the old man trying to carry the volumes inside while he was being swarmed by the kids, “I never thought much of them, but when I started reading I just couldn’t put them down.” 

“Oh? What’s your favourite?”, this time Souta’s happiness felt genuine and she was more comfortable looking at him while they talked. 

“I really like Gintama!”, she picked up her spoon and stirred in the soup she was served, “It’s so funny… but also a little sad at times, but a hopeful kind of sad.” Just like the feeling she had thinking of the places she still had to go. 

“Gintama is the best!”, the young man exclaimed, “We have all volumes here too, I had to nag Itsuki to get them though… he’s a boring old man sometimes.” 

“I am not that old…”, the bewildered look on his face that was accompanied by a blush nearly made Hana choke on her food. Warm laughter filled the room and they ate their dinner, chatting cheerfully about all the things that came to their minds. 

When was a place a home? The large mansion in the town by the sea, had never felt like one, even though it was more luxurious than this place. Still, Hana could not shake off the feeling of belonging as she talked and laughed with her family. 

… family… for the first time in forever she thought of the people around her as her family. 

While Souta took care do the dishes, Itsuki and Hana took their places in the living room once more. She felt her anxiety return as she looked at her uncle, there were so many things she wanted to ask him, but didn’t know how. 

It felt like her time was running out, even if they had more than enough of it. The moment she opened her mouth to speak she began to yawn. 

“We could get the old bed from the bunker… but it’s not the most comfortable thing to sleep in,” Souta scratched his neck and yawned, “I really miss being a computer… I never got tired back then.”

“I’ll explain it to you… soon enough,” Itsuki gestured that Hana should just ignore the comment for now, “But he’s right, it’s an awful thing, I wouldn’t even call it a bed. I’ll probably have to call someone in the next bigger city and ask them if they can provide something useable, even a futon would do.” 

“But it’s already late…”, even if they’d go by car, everyone would be asleep when they would arrive. 

“I hope the couch is enough for tonight, I’ll look for a solution tomorrow,” he walked up the stairs to his bedroom and vanished for a short while, only to return with blankets and pillows, “Since Souta prefers to use me as a pillow we have more than enough of these. You’re just as thin as your mother, I am sure the space on the sofa will be enough… just for tonight.” 

Did that mean he’d send her back as soon as her feet were healed …?

“Hey, don’t give me that look, I mean until we get you a proper place to sleep,” maybe he got scruff, maybe he had always been, Hana didn’t know the war. She never heard one of the veterans speak, she was a flower that grew out of a corpse, she was new hope after the fog had vanished, “Get some rest, it was a long day for you.” 

The young woman quietly nodded and waited for her uncle to finish preparing her place to sleep. She had only brought two changes of clothes with her, thankfully one of them were her favourite pyjamas. Hana rushed into the bathroom and got changed, she heard them talk in the living room but she didn’t want to hear a word they were saying, she was scared that they were only nice because they felt obligated to be. 

Once she left the bathroom she found her uncles in a tight embrace, Souta laughed softly while Itsuki whispered something in his ear, the moment he noticed Hana he let go of the other. 

“Sorry…”, every time she was reminded of the fact that she was an intruder she wondered if it really wouldn’t be for the best if she would just leave this place. 

“Don’t be, I had enough time with Itsuki already, now he needs to catch up with you… or maybe tomorrow. Good night, Hana,” it felt funny how he patted her head, it was an familiar yet unfamiliar feeling. 

Souta walked upstairs into their bedroom, leaving the door open wide enough to let Itsuki and all the pleasant dreams they’d might have in, while his husband stood behind. 

“Hana… I am sorry if something I’ve said upset you, I don’t want you to feel as if you’re not welcome here, you’re free to stay as long as you want,” he sat down on the small coffee table, carefully thinking about the words he’d say next. 

The young woman lied down in her bed for the night and tried to get comfortable, “It’s okay…”

“You’re a bad liar, just like your father,” there was a hint of a smile on his face as the memory hushed through his mind, “This place is meant to be a home, you know? Not only for us… also for you and everyone else who feels lost.” He carefully tugged her in, just like he did when she was still a baby, “I was just surprised that you came here on your birthday.” 

“You remember…?” 

“How could I forget,” he laughed as he carefully brushed her hair out of her face, “Every year I lit a candle for you, I never knew where you were… so I just had to hold on to the little hope I had. Now you’re back… I am sure your parents are happy to know that.” 

A warm smile formed on Hana’s lips and she began to feel tired, her eyes slowly closing all by themself, “Uncle…?” 

“Yes, what is it?” 

“... can I stay here…?”

“You can stay with us as long as you want, Hana,” she probably didn’t even hear him anymore, as he had already drifted off into a sound sleep. 

Itsuki quietly walked upstairs and met Souta’s gaze, a tired smile formed on his lips as he crawled into the warm bed. He felt his husband’s arms wrap around him, his lips touching his forehead as he cried into his chest. 

“There there… it’s okay, Itsuki…” 

How many hours did pass until he finally stopped crying? His fingers searched for Souta’s and they intertwined, their foreheads touching as the few words he wanted to say merely passed his lips, “... now everyone is back home… Chika… Rize… and Kishou…. They’re all here… with you… Ui and Ihei… with Hana…” 

“Does it make you happy?” 

“... more than that…”, he smiled even though nobody could see it, “All this time this place has been nothing more but a memorial for the dead… and I was one of them too, but now it is filled with life again… what more could I ask for?”


End file.
